Microsoft, at a recent company meeting in Seattle, showed a spoof of Apple’s “Get a Mac” ads, featuring their Zune digital media player taking on Apple’s iPod.
Besides completely missing the central theme by having the actors state that one is a Mac and the other a PC and then quickly forgetting the whole premise by turning into just two people with MP3 players – in the actual Apple ads, the actors are playing the products (John Hodgman is a Windows PC and Justin Long is an Apple Mac) – the spoof also fails the reality test.
In Microsoft’s spoof, two actors play, ahem, people (not products) that look like Apple’s Hodgman and Long who discuss how easily iPod scratches (harking back to an ill-fated, spectacularly unsuccessful FUD campaign), how supposedly nice it is that Zune comes in brown, but mainly how Zune supposedly trumps iPod on ease-of-use and wireless song transfer.
Of course, Microsoft neglects to explain that by wirelessly transferring a song to your soon-to-be-ex-friend, you are sending them an advertisement. Songs “squirted” from Zune to Zune (as if you could ever find another Zune, that is) last for only 3 “plays” (a minute or so counts as a “play”) or 3 days before they stop playing and turn into an ad on the “squirtee’s” Zune. Do you get a commission from the music labels and Microsoft for performing this service? Nope, it’s just free advertising that you’re expected to inflict on your friends for free. Why not just go from website to website signing up your “friends” for thought-you-might-like-this spam?
The Microsoft spoof is funny, but not in the way Microsoft probably intended, because multiple independent reviews of Zune (see related articles below) have indicated just how badly the Zune software performed, how “squirting” failed, how impossible it is to find someone with a Zune to whom to squirt your time-bomb ads, and how the Zune can’t match Apple’s iPod for, among other things, “ease-of-use” especially. Of course, you can buy iTunes Store songs with just one click and you cannot buy Zune songs with one click (or any number of clicks) from your Zune player.
Microsoft should stay as far away from the “ease-of-use” issue as possible when it comes to challenging Apple. Microsoft should have taken on iPod’s lighter weight/smaller size, too many accessories, too large an online song library, too much storage capacity, too many models, too many iPod-ready vehicles from which to choose, or something else instead. Ease-of-use vs. Apple is way too large a leap for Microsoft.
The Microsoft spoof also conveniently totally ignores Apple iTunes’ “iMix” feature which, of course, allows for sharing music in a different way. With total iMixes now approaching one million in the US iTunes Store alone, it seems to be a very popular social feature; certainly vastly more popular than “squirting” 3-plays-then-self-destruct-leaving-only-an-ad-behind files like Zune.
The spoof via YouTube (some more free publicity for a doomed product):
Related articles:
Desperation time? Microsoft Zune already being discounted by retailers – December 13, 2006
Zune: Welcome to the social isolation – December 11, 2006
RealMoney.com’s Holiday Gadget Gift Guide: buy Apple iPod, avoid Microsoft Zune – December 08, 2006
Microsoft Zune plummets to 5th place in U.S. digital media player market share with 2.1 percent – December 04, 2006
Analysts: Microsoft needs to ‘rethink’ as interest in Zune fades fast – December 01, 2006
Enderle on Apple iPod vs. Microsoft Zune – November 30, 2006
The Channel Checkers: 81% recommend Apple iPod – November 30, 2006
NPD: Microsoft Zune hits 9% in US market share in first week, takes #2 spot from SanDisk [UPDATED] – November 29, 2006
Microsoft says Zune sales in line with their expectations – November 29, 2006
Newsflash: analyst says Apple iPod beating Microsoft Zune – November 28, 2006
Thurrott reviews Microsoft Zune: ‘a joke, a travesty, I can’t imagine what they were thinking’ – November 28, 2006
Apple iPod clearly immune to Zune – November 27, 2006
Zune reinforces Microsoft’s dorky image, pushes people toward Apple iPods, Macs – November 27, 2006
Ihnatko: Microsoft Zune experience about as pleasant as having an airbag deploy in your face – November 24, 2006
TheStreet.com: It’s not looking good for Microsoft’s Zune; bad press may taint brand for years – November 24, 2006
Amazon’s bestselling MP3 players list chronicles Microsoft Zune dud – November 20, 2006
Bill Gates: Apple iPod ‘phenomenal, unbelievable, fantastic’ – November 16, 2006
Cramer’s Mad Money: Microsoft’s Zune is pathetic; Vista may cause people to turn to Apple Mac – November 15, 2006
Microsoft’s Zune selling like snotcakes – November 15, 2006
Microsoft’s Zune incompatible with Windows Vista – November 14, 2006
Dvorak: ‘If anything is doomed to failure, it’s Microsoft’s Zune’ – November 14, 2006
Ballmer: Zune’s Wi-Fi will help Microsoft challenge Apple’s iPod+iTunes – November 14, 2006
CNN ridicules Microsoft’s Zune while gushing over Apple’s new iPod shuffle – November 14, 2006
Engadget: Microsoft’s Zune software: ‘It sucks’ – November 13, 2006
Early Microsoft Zune customer greeted with Zune ‘Installation Error’ – November 13, 2006
Zuned: What’s the ‘deal’ with Microsoft Points? – November 12, 2006
Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Apple has no need to worry about Microsoft’s cumbersome, chunkier Zune – November 11, 2006
BusinessWeek: ‘By this time next year, Microsoft’s Zune will be considered a dismal failure’ – November 10, 2006
USA Today’s Baig: Microsoft Zune is no Apple iPod – November 09, 2006
Forbes: Microsoft’s Zune stinks; like ‘Microsoft Bob,’ only more embarrassing – November 09, 2006
NY Times’ Pogue: Zune should come in green to match Microsoft’s iPod envy – November 09, 2006
Mossberg: MS Zune has ‘too many compromises, missing features’ vs. ‘thin, sleek, elegant’ Apple iPod – November 09, 2006
Microsoft to pay Universal for every Zune sold – November 09, 2006
Analysts: Microsoft Zune may end up being a flop – November 08, 2006
Are 58% of iPod owners really thinking of a Zune switch? – November 08, 2006
Survey: 58% of iPod owners planning another MP3 player purchase will consider Microsoft’s Zune – November 01, 2006
Zune is from Microsoft, but Microsoft doesn’t want anybody to know about it – November 07, 2006
Microsoft Zune to be US-only, no firm plans to launch anywhere else globally – November 03, 2006
Five Microsoft Zune TV commercials – November 02, 2006
JupiterResearch: Apple’s iPod will dominate for foreseeable future; Microsoft’s Zune insignificant – October 25, 2006
Ellen DeGeneres Show gives away Microsoft Zunes, studio audience goes berserk – October 23, 2006
More Microsoft Zune myths explored – October 20, 2006
Five more Microsoft Zune myths – October 18, 2006
Microsoft Zune intensifies chaos in Apple iPod+iTunes also-ran market – October 16, 2006
Newsweek Q&A: Apple CEO Steve Jobs discusses iPod’s impact, Microsoft’s Zune, and more – October 15, 2006
Microsoft’s Ballmer: Zune device not money loser, wishes Apple’s 30GB iPod was $299 instead of $249 – October 11, 2006
Microsoft’s consumer electronics track record: long string of failures – October 11, 2006
MP3.com founder: ‘Zune will be an expensive failure for Microsoft because consumers aren’t stupid’ – October 06, 2006
Microsoft fails to secure key Zune domains – October 04, 2006
Microsoft rigs Zune with tricky pricing and proprietary money schemes – October 03, 2006
Why Microsoft’s Zune won’t kill Apple’s iPod – October 03, 2006
10 Apple iPod vs. Microsoft Zune myths – October 02, 2006
Analyst: Zune could lead to ‘civil war’ between Microsoft and Windows Media partners – September 29, 2006
Thurrott on Microsoft’s Zune: ‘The makings of a disaster, what the heck are these people thinking?’ – September 29, 2006
Analyst: Microsoft Zune’s as good as dead on arrival – September 28, 2006
Microsoft sets 30GB Zune price at $249.99 – September 28, 2006
How Microsoft’s Zune can kill Apple’s iPod – September 21, 2006
Microsoft’s Zune insanity – September 21, 2006
The Microsoft Zune 1.0 dud – September 20, 2006
Microsoft’s underwhelming Zune a ‘viral DRM’ device – September 18, 2006
SanDisk teams with RealNetworks against new common foe: Microsoft Zune – September 18, 2006
Creative does Apple’s dirty work by immediately attacking Microsoft’s Zune – September 17, 2006
Motley Fool’s Jayson: Microsoft’s ‘just plain ugly’ Zune a meager offering, not an iPod killer – September 15, 2006
What’s in a name? ‘Zune’ a French-Canadian euphemism for penis or vagina – September 15, 2006
Crave at CNET: ‘Microsoft Zune, all the excitement that brown can bring’ – September 15, 2006
Microsoft’s Zune underwhelms – September 15, 2006
Enderle: Microsoft Zune ‘a design mistake’ – September 15, 2006
Microsoft hypocrisy exposed with Zune: What ever happened to ‘choice?’ – September 14, 2006
Analyst: Microsoft Zune with fake scroll wheel ‘hardly an Apple iPod killer’ – September 14, 2006
Analyst: Microsoft Zune won’t spoil Apple’s biggest iPod Christmas ever – September 14, 2006
Microsoft unveils Zune 30GB player, Zune Marketplace; declines to disclose prices – September 14, 2006
Analyst: Microsoft’s Zune an ‘underwhelming’ repackaged Toshiba Gigabeat; no threat to Apple iPod – August 30, 2006
Microsoft confirms brick-like Zune to be made by Toshiba – August 25, 2006
Microsoft Zune is chunky brick made by Toshiba – August 25, 2006
Microsoft to sell single Zune model this fall, rumors of Wi-Fi capability were greatly exaggerated – August 10, 2006
Microsoft to spend hundreds of millions, several years on Zune trying to catch Apple iPod+iTunes – July 27, 2006
Zune: Apple cannot lose. Microsoft cannot win. – July 26, 2006
Opinion: More blood on Apple iPod’s Click Wheel: Microsoft pulls plug on Zune – July 25, 2006
Dude, you just got Zuned!
check out what the folks over @ “zunescene” (yawn) are saying about “Apple fanboys”…man, if I had a dollar for every time they’d say that, I’d be rich..it seems the MS J-off’s can only retort in the same meaningless way….calling someone who can see the blatant difference between the iPod’s true features and the Zune much over-hyped features is not a ‘fanboy’ thing it’s a reality thing…
http://www.zunescene.com/forums/index.php?topic=5176.0
Bill…
Yes, iPods can scratch, but so can EVERY electronic device you carry…
… Cell phone. Palm. Camera. MacBook… you name it.
What’s the big deal with buying a $20 case?
I nearly pee-d in my pants!! They depicted the millions of iPod users as complete MORONS, while the fag in the $hit brown suit was supposed to be HIP!! My bloody heck that was funny! No mention that the zune song is going to self destruct. The guy who gets his song on iTunes has it forever. Dinkless there is just wanting to squirt something. Filthy little boy.
Zune Tang starred on TV!!! You can totally tell he’s the ipod guy in this clip! He’s even butt uglier than he sounds in his posts. Although he almost looks ‘stupider’ than he sounds (is that possible?).
I admit it…I laughed. Not at the Dorky Mac guy but at the silly MS attempt to reverse the tables. Even if the Mac guy was supposed to look a bit doofy, I would much rather be him than that geek in the squirt brown jacket who smugly gives the impression that the Zune is operated by pressing this one button.
I bet he dreams alone in his bed at night about getting a date with the ugliest girl in his class. Maybe if he pulled out his Zune…….
Keep’em coming MS.
What saps they are. Terrible. I know a woman who works in microsofts european headquaters and shw always says that mafiasoft would never “stoop as low as apple” and mention competing with them because msoft is so big that they dont even see apple as a real competitor, yet they come out with this cr*p.
Wow, This ad speaks for itself. Even though Microsoft sucks I dought that they would come out with something this lame. I just don’t know how to respond to this ad other than wow how sad and lame.
This spoofing thing that MS always relys on… MUST be something left over from Bill Gates high school days.
Makes we wanna take a HUGE zune right on Steve Ballmer’s head.
How the Zune was conceived..
http://doodleplex.com/glassmaze/?p=447
Hmm..
I would think this was meant as an internal thing only. I think it’s cute that MS is spoofing Apple’s Get a Mac ads, but couldn’t they do it well. Spoof away MS, just make it funny.
I think the brown part at the end was supposed to be a little pick on themselves, maybe.
Hey, everyone look at us! We’re just like Apple, only crappier!
Uh huh.
Yeah, you know, if I want a song from a guy who’s wearing a 3 piece suit and walking around with a Zune in the daylight, I’ll prolly just knock his punk ass down at take it. I’m sure he won’t put up much of a fight.
But really, he looks like the sort of person who would have a lot more Perry Como on his Zune than I would like anyway.
I doubt there are a lot of Amon Tobin or Godspeed! You Black Emperor tracks in there.
Otherwise, I’ll fire up iTunes, and find the song, and click ONE BUTTON and it’s mine.
Forever.
Not just 3 days/plays.
MS… it’s getting sadder and more desperate every day. Do you really want to make it worse?
Have you looked at your XBox 360 sales figures lately?
Nintendo is handing you your ass.
Just like Apple.
So, instead of spoofing commercials for products that are better than yours, how about making some decent products?
Like a whole computer, maybe.
-c
MW: ‘month’ (end sales might cover your morning latté)
MDN, chill out. It’s a spoof, not a real ad. Plus they are also making fun of themselves regarding the brown color.
I take it that it’s just an amateurish spoof for internal consumption, and not an ad, right?
They obviously feel that there’s unexploited mileage to be made up in the Social message — deaf as they are to overwhelming criticism of that aspect of the zune. Spoofing the Apple ad just shows that they are rattled by their failure to slow the iPod juggernaut.
But this thing squirts! If only they’d try it…..
Sorry, Mr. Moneybags. You might have the dough to achieve something over time, but it’s going to cost you at least 10 or 20 times what you’ve spent so far. And it’s obvious you don’t know how or where to spend it; and even if you did, you’d probably still miss this moving target.
Welcome to the Real World.
Ummm…No their “Mac Guy” is a ƒuck!ng geek/nerd. I prefer Justin, he would never embarrass himself attempting to dance. Truly pathetic…
Is there anything that Apple does that Microsoft won’t copy?
I love this one, comments from real people.
That is soooo lame, similar to the other spoof that came out of Youtube months ago
where the guy obviously has a major wardrobe problem. That tight belt is making him spout a lot of nonsense. I guess most PC users dress that way. No wonder.
The thing about iPods getting scratched is true because people actually care enough about their iPod to keep it looking nice. It’s an elegant device. Nobody gives a flying shit about how a Zune looks. I saw a Zune at Target the other day. It looks like MacGyver and B.A. Baracus made it out of an old Palm Pilot, a rat trap, and feces.
Turn to deceptive adverts if you can’t innovate your way out of a paper bag. Way to Monkey Boy!
Rock on Steve.
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How crap was that ad for Zune!!
I took a look over at the Zuneboards and read about someone in NYC who has had their first Zune social on the Subway.
Okay it might be a setup, but unless proven false, there are people with Zune’s who are doing exactly what the Zune advertises as doing!
That does have me concerned, unless Apple does add a similar capability to iTMS & iPods, which won’t have the 3 day or 3 play limit. No AAC, just a lower bit rate locked MP3*. Locked in a way that it cannot be burned to a CD or copied on to any computer. You could still send it on to another iPod, of course in that low bit rate quality MP3*.
Each time you hook up to your computer iTunes asks you if you want to buy that track and replace that low quality track at the same time.
Plus Microsoft on Zuneboards has announced the Zune is to be made available in Australia from January.
*MP3 is just an example format, Apple could choose another or introduce another format themselves.
MW ‘army’ seems as though a war is looming!
nice one jimbo, i like the way that when their talking about it it’s almost like their stabbing the zune with knifes as they pick up on just about everything wrong with it
Soon Tank, where are you? We need more jokes for this!